Tag Archives: custom 1911

Staccato, only smaller…

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Staccato, formerly STI, has been making steady in-roads with police tactical teams in recent years– having been adopted or approved by more than 250 law enforcement agencies including the elite U.S. Marshall Service’s Special Operations Group. At the same time, the company has been marketing its compact “C” series guns which have turned into a hit with consumers.

Speaking of which, the new Staccato CS is single-action like the M1911 but is in a double-stack format like the company’s 2011 line. Moreover, it runs a 3.5-inch bull barrel, making it even akin to a Colt Officer’s model– but carries with it a flush-fitting 16+1 round capacity in 9mm.

“Weighing under 23 ounces with a 3.5-inch bull barrel, this ‘little sibling’ is smaller than other members of the Staccato pistol family and made for concealed carry,” contends Staccato. (Photos: Staccato)

More in my column at Guns.com.

Bill Wilson: 45 years of 1911 Goodness

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Founded in the back of his family’s jewelry store in 1977 to help support his competition pistol habit, Bill Wilson’s little custom gun shop has grown to become a household name and employs over 200 professionals in three states working with no less than five brands.

Bill Wilson was one of the original custom M1911 competitors back in the days when Chip McCormick was on the circuit and a Mickey Fowler was on the cover of American Handgunner beside a young Rob Leatham. 

Wilson, getting it done through the power of the John Holmes stache and ringer tee back in the days when bowling pins ran wild. (Photo: Wilson Combat)

Beginning with basic gunsmithing and parts, Wilson’s one-man operation grew quickly, and many of the world’s top pistol shooters were soon carrying guns with some of his ingredients. To this day, the Wilson Combat’s legendary 1911 magazines are the go-to for many and often ship as O.E. with some of the better .45s on the market today outside of WC’s own creations.

Today, Wilson Combat has grown a lot from that 10’x20′ area in the back his dad’s jewelry store, but they still like nice 1911s.

More in my column at Guns.com.

Nighthawk Custom’s stuff really does make you want to cry

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Berryville, Arkansas-based Nighthawk Custom has a very impressive 1911 Commander-sized handgun in 9mm or .45ACP they hope will appeal to female gun enthusiasts. The niche specialty gun maker’s Lady Hawk 2.0 builds on their legacy design and pairs a Rose Gold TICN finish on the surface controls and barrel with custom obsidian, abalone and zinc grips, topped with lots of high-speed tweaks and Heine night sights.

Still, you almost hate to shoot it.

 

Of suppressor deregulation and upcoming ATF changes

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At SHOT Show this year I had a chance to throw some knives and hawks on range day and did so like shit. They were SOGs and, while I can make the excuse I wasn’t used to them and prefer my own edged weapons which I do throw much better, I still did miserably.

sog knives and hawks

However, I also did it right behind Josh Waldron, the co-founder and CEO of SilencerCo, the company that is like the Glock of suppressors. How big are they? They ship 10,000 cans a month, which is more than most suppressor makers ship in a year.

I had a chance last week to catch back to up him without the tomahawks and talk about various states dropping prohibitions against private suppressor ownership (42 states now allow it), hunting with suppressors (39 now allow it, up from 22 in 2011), potential deregulation of suppressors from NFA requirements via the Hearing Protection Act, and the impact that ATF 41F is going to have on trusts and CLEO requirements.

SilencerCo.founder.believes.in_.creating.a.lifestyle.to_.mainstream.suppressors
“We’re trying to make guns sexy again because they always really have been in this country,” Waldron said. “It’s been part of the fabric of the culture here but we want to make sure that that continues and so we’re trying to revive that.”

You can read the interview over at Guns.com.